1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement in display characteristics of liquid crystal displays, and in particular, to liquid crystal displays suitable for use in apparatuses for personal use, such as laptop computers.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, liquid crystal displays have been increasingly applied to television sets, which leads to high demands for larger and thinner liquid crystal display panels. This has also induced many proposals for apparatuses provided with larger and thinner liquid crystal display panels or components used therefor.
For example, JP-A2010-217844 discloses a liquid crystal display including the following components disposed in sequence: a first polarizing plate which includes a first polarizing film composed of polyvinyl alcohol resin and an acrylic resin film; a liquid crystal panel; and a second polarizing plate which includes a second polarizing film composed of polyvinyl alcohol resin and a stretched polyethylene terephthalate film. JP-A2005-49698 also discloses a polarizing plate including a polarizer composed of an iodine-containing polyvinyl alcohol film having a thickness of 8 to 18 μm and is cured with boric acid, the polarizing plate exhibiting a transmittance of 0.001 to 0.1% to a wavelength of 410 nm under crossed nicols. JP-A2003-25473 further discloses an optical component which includes an optical film having a thickness of 150 μm or lower and an adhesive protective film having a thickness of 40 μm or higher.
Liquid crystal displays are also used in laptop computers (hereinafter referred to as laptops). Unlike television sets, laptops are not viewed by multiple viewers, which eliminates a need for an increase in size of laptops. In addition, the distance between a liquid crystal display and a user is short as compared to television sets.
Even though characteristics required for displays of large-screen television sets are different from those required for displays of laptops as described above, various studies have been continuously conducted for a reduction in thickness, without regard to such a difference.